Supports or standards for plants such as tomato plants come in all sizes and shapes. Perhaps the most common support used around residences is the ringed tripod that has wire legs that are pushed into the ground and a plurality of spaced wire rings, usually three, that become progressively smaller from the ground upward. Several older patents depict adjustable plant supports such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 730,779 to Lacy, 753,046 to Corts, and 754,542 to Chessman. U.S. Pat. No. 1,377,832 to Hanner describes a plant support in which a V-shaped stake provides a support for a wire ring at spaced positions along the intersection of the two sides of the stake. The ring in the Hanner patent is capable of sliding on the stake between the spaced positions and being secured at the positions by engagement of a bent portion of the ring with apertures in the stake. In one embodiment, the diameter of the ring can be enlarged through disengagement of the otherwise hooked ends of the ring, allowing the ring to expand and accommodate large plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,429 issued May 8, 1973 to Orthman describes a plurality of concentric rings that are fixed to a support that is removably secured to a post having a T-shaped cross section. The primary means for support is the registry of openings in the bracket with spaced shoulders on the post. There appears to be no positive fastening of the device to the center post.
While the prior art addresses the needs of growers of small quantities of plants such as typically done at residences, those growers who desire to have a larger number of plants find the available plant supports unwieldy and often structurally too weak for use more than one growing season. The frequent removal and insertion into the ground often distorts the legs, making the entire support unusable. It would be particularly advantageous if plant supports were available that were compatible to the extremely common existing stakes or posts used for fencing, particularly electrical fencing. Such posts are T-shaped in section and have ribs at spaced intervals for ensuring the electrical insulator fasteners attached to the posts are properly spaced. Because the T-shaped posts are rugged in construction, have excellent weathering characteristics, and are commonly available, use of T-shaped posts as plant support standards would be highly beneficial.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a plant support compatible with the structure of a T-shaped post.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide for a plant support compatible with the structure of a T-shaped post that is easily fastened to and removed from the post.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide for a plant support compatible with the structure of a T-shaped post that is easily adjustable up and down the post between fixed positions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a plant support compatible with the structure of a T-shaped post that is light weight and easily fabricated.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide for a plant support usable with various types of plants such as tomato plants and which is compatible with the structure of a T-shaped post with a removable arc segment of the ring allowing plants to be moved into the interior of the ring and the removed arc portion replaced thereby encircling and affording support to tall plants or plants having crown or base portions larger than the diameter of the ring.